Month: October 2010

In poetry class on Tuesday, we were given 10 words to use in a poem. We had about 10-15 minutes to write it. This is what I came up with.

The widow leaned against the kitchen sink
washing dandelion dishes.
Her throaty voice, quietly sang a hymn.
The branches on the elm, like baggage,
swayed to the rhythm of her song.
The fragrant saffron hung in the air
like unrelenting oiled hands. The sun sunk
just below the horizon creating a halo about trees
and a pink hue ghosted
the kitchen walls.

For my advanced poetry class, we’re taking one poem and revising it seven times over the course of a week. Here is the draft I’m starting out with, I’ll also post the final revision. If you have thoughts, suggestions, questions or praises feel free to leave them.

I am white skin
a lie that seeps
happiness, fortune, free, easy.
I am the lie to forgotten youth,
rejections from the “rich”
school because poverty only (socio economic bullshit)
gives birth to unwed bastards.

I am the quiet,
tucked under the bed
awash in a dull flashlight
only companioned with books.

I am the one escapee.
I am the upgrade.
I am the graduate
from the neighborhood,
from the family.

I am a concoction
of Baptist praise and rosary beads,
in the name of the Father, Son and Holy